2. Get to know the patient
The next step is for well-trained staff or the physician to talk to a patient about the answers in that questionnaire. It should only take a minute or two to follow-up on a few questions in a targeted manner.
For example, if a patient says he or she wants to be able to play golf without glasses, I might confirm whether he or she is still working and how much time is spent at a computer versus engaging in golf and other distance activities.
With low myopes who don’t wear bifocals, I want to have a significant conversation with them about how often they take their glasses off to read and how that will change after surgery.
I have even had a -5.50 myope who worked as a jeweler and was accustomed to using his myopia as magnification when examining diamonds. I needed to make sure he understood that we have no way of giving him that kind of near vision unless we make him myopic.
Finally, with patients who have monovision, I like to ask a few questions about that, rather than presume they are happy with it. In many cases, offering binocular extended-depth-of-focus IOLs is a better choice.
NEXT: 3. Do some doctoring
